Articles

As the first medical malpractice insurer to establish a patient safety department, we set the industry standard with innovative products and services that reduce risk in your practice and help you avoid claims. Our commitment extends to the insightful content offered here.

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Interactive Guide to Patient Safety for Office Practices (PDF)
This interactive guide is designed to help you uncover areas of potential malpractice exposure in your practice.

Cardiology Closed Claims Study (PDF)
Darrell Ranum, JD, CPHRM
A review of 345 cardiology claims to identify top allegations and factors contributing to patient injury.

An Analysis of Internal Medicine Malpractice Claims
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director
An analysis of 369 consecutive closed internal medicine claims identifies events that place internists at risk for a malpractice claim.
From The Doctor's Advocate

Examining the Provider's Role
Arlene Luu, JD, RN, and William J. Oetgen, MD, MBA, FACC
A case study involving a patient with chronic atrial fibrillation examines the issue of a consulting provider's role in the management of a patient's medical condition.

A Patient with Chronic Atrial Fibrillation
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director
This case study highlights the malpractice risks associated with the use of anticoagulants and illustrates the importance of being familiar with practice guidelines.
From The Doctor's Advocate

A Patient with Chest Pain of Sudden Onset
David B. Troxel, MD, Medical Director
A case study illustrates the importance of rapidly identifying acute dissections involving the ascending aorta. "Protecting Against Missed Diagnoses" is a companion to this article.
From The Doctor's Advocate

Protecting Against Missed Diagnoses
Dawn Penney, JD, RN, and Howard Marcus, MD, FACP
This article, companion to the article "Patient with Chest Pain of Sudden Onset," examines a failure to develop a comprehensive differential diagnosis and a failure of communication between physicians.
From The Doctor's Advocate

What You Don't Know
Ann S. Lofsky, MD
This case study raises the question of whether doctors are responsible for acting on patient medical information that is unknown to them.
From The Doctor's Advocate

Through the Retrospectoscope
Ann S. Lofsky, MD
This case study discusses whether a jury can understand that even following the standard of care can sometimes have a negative outcome.
From The Doctor's Advocate